委内瑞拉反对派以压倒优势赢得议会选举

Election officials in Venezuela say the opposition has won control of the country\'s legislature, delivering a stunning defeat to the ruling Socialist party.

Authorities say the opposition, with two seats yet to be determined, won 110 of the 167 seats in the National Assembly, with the Socialist party winning just 55.

Winning the other two seats would give the opposition coalition a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, potentially allowing it to fire Supreme Court justices, begin a process that would recall the president, even call an assembly to rewrite the constitution.

Whether the opposition achieves the supermajority or not, the results are a major setback for the long-dominant, ruling socialists who have led the country for 16 years.

Opposition leaders vowed Monday to use their new majority to free jailed opponents of the Socialist government, but also said they would not move to dismantle popular welfare policies.

The 53-year-old president, who was handpicked by Chavez, quickly accepted defeat in a televised speech to the nation early Monday that calmed fears of violence.

有关当局说，委内瑞拉反对派赢得167个议会席位中的110个，而统一社会主义党只赢得55席。目前还有两个议席的归属尚未确定。

如果反对派联盟赢得这两个议席，就将在议会中取得三分之二多数地位，从而有权更换最高法院法官，启动罢免总统的程序，甚至可以要求修改宪法。

无论反对派能否获得议会三分之二多数地位，这次选举结果都是连续执政16年的统一社会主义党人所遭受了一次重大挫败。

反对派领导人星期一誓言将利用在议会的多数地位释放被监禁的统一社会主义党政府的反对者，同时表示不会取消广受民众欢迎的福利政策。

查韦斯钦定的接班人，现年53岁的委内瑞拉总统马杜罗星期一清晨向全国发表电视讲话，承认败选。他的这一举动消除了人们对发生暴力的担忧。